ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 20, 1991                   TAG: 9102200041
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Joan Munford
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FURLOUGHS ARE NOT THE ANSWER

I had anticipated that budget issues would dominate this session of the General Assembly, but I wasn't prepared for the depth of the problem or the frustration of trying to find solutions.

Members of the General Assembly have struggled under the weight of declining revenue figures. This budget shortfall does not represent the hopelessness of hunger or poverty, but dreams and anticipations are being dashed. There is certainly an anxiety about the future when there is not enough money, and anything and everyone becomes a potential budget cut.

One recommendation under consideration that fosters, in my view, the worst kind of "take it from somewhere else" attitude is the push for employee furloughs.

Of an adult population in Virginia of 4,700,000, state employees number about 100,000, or 2 percent. Yet with reductions in raises, increased health costs and now involuntary unpaid leave, they are being asked to shoulder a very large part of the shortfall.

While it's possible that taxing their meager resources may be perceived as an easy method of increasing revenue, it's neither equitable or productive. Taking expected money from Virginia citizens will not save the Commonwealth enough money to offset the financial devastation it will create with the resulting slowdown in the marketplace.

I have received an avalanche of calls - probably more than 300 - from Virginia Tech and Radford University employees protesting the furloughs. And each call added ammunition to my own opposition to the furloughs.

The administration has recommended a 15-day furlough, the House version limited the furlough to eight days and the Senate recommended no furloughs. I feel strongly that the Senate has, on this particular issue, devised the best plan.

I tried to eliminate the furlough in the House budget by proposing a floor amendment that would have required the administration to use the $200 million reserve rather than furlough employees. The amendment failed by a close vote, but I feel confident that the amount of support for it has made the furlough concept one of last resort.

The process is now in the hands of six legislative conferees who will make final recommendations that will be voted by the full membership at the end of next week. I intend to continue the pressure until that time. 


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